INSECT-DESTROYING BIEDS. 143 



CHAPTER LXV. 



THE NARROW-BILLED BRONZE CUCKOO. 



{Lamprococcyx hasalis, Hors/ield.) 



This very pretty species is one of the most useful birds 

 of the group to which it belongs. The Bronze Cuckoo is 

 to be found in many parts of the colony, and is not un- 

 common a few miles out of Melbourne. 



This bird subsists almost entirely upon insects, which 

 it destroys and eats with avidity. Grubs of all kinds 

 would appear to be the favorite food of this bird, and 

 hardly any of the ordinary-sized larvai are exempt from 

 its attack, the caterpillars of the vine being specially 

 selected by this bird for destruction, so that immense 

 numbers of the grubs are killed. 



It is somewhat singular that so very few birds will 

 tackle the grub of the Vine Moth, so that the Cuckoo 

 requires our special protection. 



Like all Cuckoos, this bird is strictly parasitic, and 

 deposits its eggs in the nests of most of our small insec- 

 tivorous birds. 



Mr. North says — " The egg of this species is pinky 

 white, minutely freckled all over the surface with light 

 brownish-red or pinkish-red dots and spots ; in some in- 

 stances these markings are confluent, forming coalesced 

 patches on the egg, but on no particular portion of it, 

 sometimes being on one side only, at other times on the 

 end." The coloring matter of this and the preceding 

 species is easily rubbed off when moisture is applied to 

 them. 



